Feed-bag.



' PATENTED MAE. 8, 1904 T. L. HAWKINS.

. FEED BAG. v APPLIUATEON FILED DEC- l2, 1903.

STATES Patented March 8, 1904;

PATENT Trice.

FEED-=BAG= SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,305, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed December 12, 1903. Serial No. 184,981. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE L. HAWKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Feed-Bags, of which the following is a specification. 5

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in feed-bags for horses; and its object is to provide a device of this character which may be readily adjusted to a horses head and which will automatically hold the con ents of the bag against the muzzle of the hors thereby overcoming the necessity 'of continually readjusting the supports of the bag and preventing the horse from throwing the bag upward and wasting a portion of its contents.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of a bag having straps secured to the sides thereof and each strap provided with a series of loose rings. Any one ring of each series is adapted to be engaged by one end of a coiled spring, the other end of which is connected to astrap adapted to be placed over the horse. The springs are adapted. to be so adjusted that when the bag is placed over the horses muzzle said springs will be tensioned, and this tension will be gradually reduced as the contents of the bag are removed, thereby raising the body of the bag nearer the muzzle and bringing the contents thereof at all times within reach of the horses muzzle. J

The invention also COD- ists in the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bagconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a section through a portion of one of the straps and the adjoining part of the bag to which it is connected.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a bag of any suitable construction having, preferably, metallic straps 2 secured longitudinally on opposite sides thereof by rivets or in any other suitable manner. Each strap has staples a secured therein by inserting the ends thereofthrough the strap and bending them thereunder, as shown in detail in Fig. 3. Each staple engages aring 5, and any desired number of these rings may be located on each strap. One of the rings on each strap is adapted to be engaged by a snaphook 6, which is secured to one end of a coiled spring 7, and .a snap-hook 8 is connected to the other end of this spring and is adapted to engage a ring 9. The two rings are secured to opposite ends of, strap 10, adapted to be placed over the head of a horse.

In using the bag herein described the oats or other material to be fed to the horse is placed within the bag, and said bag-is placed over the muzzle of the horse and the strap 10 put in position upon its head. Springs 7 are then-tensioned and inserted through the upper rings and the snap-hooks placed in engagement with any one of the remainingrings 4 5, so as to produce a desired tension of the v springs 7. As the horse consumes the contents of the bag the tension of the springs as the horse can readily reach them it will not swing the'bagupward in order to reach the food, as is the case where non-elastic supports are employed. I

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall-within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a fcedbag; of elastic supports adjustably connected to opposite sides of the bag.

2. The combination with a feed-bag having a series of securing devices at each side thereof; of elastic supports adapted to be fastened to any one of the securing devices of each senos.

3. The combination with a feed-bag having a series of rings loosely connected to opposite sides thereof; ,of coiled springs detachablysecured to one ring of each series.

L. The combination with a feed bag; of coiled springs adjustably connected to the sides thereof.

5. The combination with a feed-bag, and a strap; of coiled springs detachably secured to the ends ol the strap and ad j ustably connected to opposite sides of the bag.

6. The combination with a feed-bag having straps secured to opposite sides thereof, and rings loosely connected to the straps; of a coiled spring extending through one ring of each series and detachahly secured to one ring of each series.

7 The combination with a feed-bag having straps secured to opposite sides thereof, and series of rings loosely connected to the straps; of astrap removed from the bag, coiled springs detac'hably connected to the ends of the strap and to rings of the series, said springs being adapted to project through rings of the series.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE LI HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

S. H. HOYT, FRANK PARKS. 

